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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28717251">Serendipity</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/onewomanshow/pseuds/onewomanshow'>onewomanshow</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>By Kismet or Happenstance [6]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Avatar: The Last Airbender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Childbirth, Children, Domestic Bliss, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Family, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Fatherhood, Gen, One Shot, Romance, parenting</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 10:47:36</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,478</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28717251</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/onewomanshow/pseuds/onewomanshow</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Serendipity is the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way. </p><p>Zuko never wanted children but one moment changes his entire perspective on the matter. Or: In which Zuko goes through the motions of processing his feelings about being a father one day.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Katara &amp; Zuko (Avatar), Katara/Zuko (Avatar)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>By Kismet or Happenstance [6]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1764538</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>45</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Serendipity</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Started this a while back and forgot about it. Was on my lunch break at work and inspiration struck. I apologize for any errors in my haste to get this out.</p><p>The beginning takes place before "The Newlywed Effect" and the ending is after "Midnight Snack."</p><p>Enjoy &lt;3</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Serendipity (n): the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way.</em>
</p><p>Zuko always knew he would have to have a child one day. If anything, it was customary and expected of him. He needed an heir to take over the throne.</p><p>But he never really wanted one, per se.</p><p>It’s not that he disliked children. In fact, he was actually quite fond of them. He liked playing peek-a-boo with the babies that came by uncle’s teashop with their parents and during festivals and other engagements, he could often be found entertaining them with an elaborate display of his bending in which Katara would tease him and call him a show-off.</p><p>It was having one of his own that terrified him. One that he couldn’t give back to their parents when they became fussy or hungry or needed their diaper changed because he’d be the parent.</p><p>The only baby he’d ever been in close proximity to was his sister, Azula, and well, that didn’t exactly turn out too well.</p><p>He didn’t even know how to hold one, let alone raise it.</p><p>What was he supposed to do when they had a nightmare? Or were having troubles at school? Started dating? He barely knew how to woo Katara and they were <em>married.</em> He still thought it was a rare struck of luck that she said yes.</p><p>He’d never been good at giving advice and he was only half decent at receiving it if his Uncle Iroh’s disappointment in him in his younger years were anything to go by.</p><p>The thought that he could permanently screw up a child’s life through his own parenting mistakes terrified him. He had first-hand experience of how damaging a poor childhood could be. He was an <em>adult </em>and still healing, learning, and growing from it.</p><p>So no, Zuko wasn’t too fond of or enthusiastic about the idea of becoming a father one day.</p><p>But Katara, like she always does, changed everything.</p><p>They’re attending the annual Spring Equinox festival- lanterns, vendors, and decorations are lining the Royal Plaza from top to bottom, and music can be heard from the live band, when an unattended child runs right into her.</p><p>“Oh!” Katara proclaims, looking down at the tiny hands clutching onto her spring dress that was adorned with fire lillies. She bends down and sweeps the crying child into her arms without hesitation.  </p><p>“It’s okay, sweetie.” She rubs her back instinctively and starts comforting her. “You have some lungs on you.” She chuckles as the child’s wail quiets down into soft whimpers.  </p><p>A woman, swollen with child, walks up to them. “Oh, there you a-…Fire Lord Zuko, Lady Katara, I am so sorry.” She tries to bow but Katara stops her with a wave of hand. “Please, you do not need to bow. Especially in your condition.”</p><p>The woman smiles. “Thank you. I see you found my daughter. She’s in that running stage.”</p><p>Katara smiles. “Yeah, it’s to be expected.”</p><p>“Oh, are you familiar with children?”</p><p>“Kind of. I have experience with tending to them back home.”</p><p>“Oh right, you are a healer. My apologies for forgetting.”</p><p>"Don't worry about it." Katara offers nodding and hands the toddler to her, smoothing the child’s hair down. She grins a wide, gummy smile in response and reaches out to grab one of her braids that are adorned with red and gold beads in place of traditional blue ones.</p><p>“She likes your hair. She’s never seen that style before. I imagine more girls will be wearing their hair this way years from now.”</p><p>Katara laughed, a melodic sound that went straight to Zuko’s heart. “That’ll be the day. A Water Tribe hairstyle becoming popular in the Fire Nation? I doubt it.”</p><p>The woman rolled her eyes. “Nonsense. Everyone knows who you are! You’re just as much of a hero as the Fire Lord.” She pauses then and looks at Zuko. “I meant no offense, your majesty.”</p><p>Zuko just nods aimlessly. He wasn’t offended for he shared similar sentiments. He was confident and secure in himself enough to admit that Katara was the brains behind a lot of things. It’s why he appointed as Ambassador in the first place.</p><p>But he was far too distracted by his own thoughts to properly acknowledge her comment. As Zuko watched her interact with the two of them, a deep desire unfurled, and he realized he wanted that.</p><p>Agni, he wanted that.</p><p>He wanted a daughter that looked just like her with curly hair, round, striking blue eyes, and brown skin. Or perhaps, a son with his eyes and his mother’s smile. Either way, they would have him wrapped around their little finger, bender or not.  He wanted to watch her belly swell and grow with his child. He wanted the late nights and early mornings that came with being a parent and to hear the pitter-patter of tiny feet running through the palace.</p><p>The palace always felt too big for just him – then, Katara moved in as an ambassador and it felt a little less intimidating as she quickly set about making it look like "people actually live here." Then, she married him and it finally felt like home.</p><p>Not the home he fantasized about in exile when he was feigning for his father’s approval and acceptance, but a home that was unconditionally warm, loving, and light.</p><p>Daily, he walked past the empty rooms that were meant for the future Crown Prince or Princess and their siblings and never thought much of it beyond the usual “one day”, but now, he imagines them being full with the laughter of children, his and Katara’s children, and it occurs to him, that that wouldn’t be so bad after all.</p><p>***</p><p>Katara tells him she’s pregnant a year into their marriage. He’s sitting in his office when she creeps in, fiddling with her hands nervously. He looks up at her, concern and worry etched on his face because Katara <em>never</em> looks nervous.</p><p>She blinks, unshed tears pooling in the corner of her eyes. “I’m pregnant.” She speaks so lowly; it sounds like a whisper. “And I know I was supposed to be taking those herbs, but we went through that phase where we weren’t do much of anything and it just reminded me that we weren’t, so I stopped…and I’m sorry.”</p><p>Zuko is up on his feet instantly. He cradles her into a hug and cups her face with his hands, using his thumbs to brush the tears. “Stop. Why are you apologizing?”</p><p>She sniffs. “Because we were supposed to be careful and plan…and I know how you feel about having kids so soon…”</p><p>He shakes his head, internally kicking himself for ever making her feel like telling him she’s pregnant would upset him.</p><p>After all, it wasn't something she could do by herself. Not matter how it happened, it was just as much his responsibility as it was hers. </p><p>“Katara, I should be the one apologizing to you. I mean, it’s my fault.” He smirks then, memories of that perfect 2-week-period when both of their productivity levels plummeted rushing to him, and reaches down and places a hand on her stomach. He knows it’s too soon for her to show or to feel anything, but the motion fills him with a sense of pride and love anyway. “I’m nervous and scared like I imagine all expectant first-time fathers are, but you just made me so happy. Again.”</p><p>***</p><p>Katara gives birth to a beautiful, baby girl in the middle of summer. The Fire Sages rejoice at the impeccable timing, saying that she is destined for greatness, but he couldn’t care less about that because she’s healthy and perfect and <em>his</em>. They name her Izumi after the fountain they were sitting by when he first asked her to stay in the Fire Nation as an ambassador and Aang laughs when he finds out, joking that he played a role in them getting together. Mai agrees and tells him that she'll be expecting a gift for her hand in bringing the next generation of Fire Nation Royalty about and the woman known for her somber personality bites back tears when they ask if she’d like to be the Godmother.</p><p>Izumi looks like a mini replica of him – sleek, black hair with piercing amber eyes, right down to the trademark half smile and Katara complains that she did all of that work just for their firstborn to take after him. He just kisses her atop of her sweaty forehead and matted hair, an unspoken “thank you” and “I love you” poured into it, because she’s given him the greatest thing he never knew he needed.</p><p>Fatherhood was new, exciting, and terrifying, but the tiny human he held in his arms and his wife in the bed beside him, made it all worth it. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So, yeah, Izumi means fountain and I was trying to figure out how to tie it in since the canon narrative is that she was named that because Zuko pushed Mai in it when they were kids lol.</p><p>If you've read the multi-chapter fic that this one-shot is a companion piece to, then Mai was approving of Katara &amp; Zuko dating so I thought it would be cute if they made her the godmother especially since Mai is practically a trained assassin lmao.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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